Resilient motor mounting and air sealing arrangement in vacuum cleaners



April 6, 1954 p c w 2,674,405

RESILIENT MOTOR MOUNTING AND AIR SEALING ARRANGEMENT IN VACUUM CLEANERS Filed May 22, 1951 Inventor: Allen P. Cawl,

b We His Attorney Patented Apr. 6, 1954 RESILIENT MOTOR MOUNTING AND AIR.

SEALING ARRANGEMENT CLEAN EES IN VACUUM Allen P. Cawl, Painesville, Ohio, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application May 22, 1951, Serial No. 227,713

a Claims. 1

My invention relates to vacuum cleaners and particularly to a resilient mounting for the motor of a vacuum cleaner and an air sealing arrangement for the incoming and outgoing sides of the motor and fan unit. My invention has particular usefulness in vacuum cleaners of the so-called tank type.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved mounting and sealing mean for the motor and fan unit of a vacuum cleaner so that the unit may be quickly and easily assembled in a simple and inexpensive manner. A further object of my invention is to provide a sealed dead air space between the motor and fan unit and the outer casing or tank of a vacuum cleaner.

Another object of my invention is to provide a motor mounting which not only seals the space between the motor and fan unit and the outer casing but also reduces the vibration transmitted from the motor and fan unit to the outer casing.

The objects of my present invention are obtained by mounting the motor and fan unit at its ends between two rings of resilient material within the casing of the cleaner, the resilient rings supporting the unit out of contact with the cleaner casing and providing a sealed space between the unit and the casing. By a special design of the shape of the mounting rings, material is saved and the space occupied by the mounting rings and seals is considerably reduced. These effects are produced partl by using live rubber, which eliminates possible sag of the motor fan unit which might take place with prolonged service in the case of sponge rubber. A special shaping of one of the resilient body members maintains a reduction in vibration equal to or greater than that obtained in the previous construction using sponge rubber.

Other objects and further details of that which I believe to be novel and my invention will be clear from the following description and claims taken with the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated an example of vacuum cleaner embodying the present invention and incorporating a preferred form of motor-fan unit resilient mounting and seal.

In the drawing, Fig. l is a longitudinal cross section through a tank type vacuum cleaner showing parts broken away to illustrate my invention, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the motor mounting and sealing members.

A cleaner according to my invention may have the usual hollow body or casing l of generally cylindrical form, having the usual handle 2 and runners or skids 3 which are suitably secured to the body. With the exception of the mounting for the motor and fan unit, the inner parts of the vacuum cleaner may be more or less conventional. On the inlet or suction end of the cleaner body is shown an inlet end cap i with a central opening 5 and a latch controlled by a pushbutton catch 6 for removabl securing the end cap to the body proper. Any other suitable manner of removably securing the cap to the body of course may be used. A dust filter or bag I is suitably secured within the cleaner immediately inside the inlet end of the body and occupies the major portion of the interior of the inlet side of the cleaner in the usual fashion.

Beyond the dust filter or bag and within the cleaner casing, I mount a motor and fan unit indicated by the number 8 in the drawing. This is spoken of sometimes as the motor unit and sometimes as the motor-fan unit because in effeet the motor and fan are contained together within a single housing and the fan may be located at either end of the housing as desired. The outside or housing of the motor unit i imperforate at its sides although it is open at its ends. The open inlet end of the unit is surrounded by an annular flange 9 which extends axially of the cleaner from the inlet end of the unit housing. The outlet end of the unit has an open end defined by the axially extending annular flange 50. The inlet end of the motor-fan unit is secured and supported within the cleaner casing by means of a transverse partition H which is welded or otherwise firmly secured in air tight relation within the casing at its circumferential flange 12. This partition has a central circular opening l3 surrounded by a sloping section l i which as shown has a slope extending in the direction of the motor unit. A bag supporting screen l5 may be suitably carried by the partition H and secured over the central opening E3 in order to prevent the dust filter or bag from collapsing against the opening and blocking it when the cleaner is in operation.

Although the motor unit is supported through the medium of the partition ll, it is not directly supported thereby nor does the unit touch the inside of the cleaner casing or body at any point. The motor unit is separated from the transverse partition and from the inner Walls of the cleaner casing by means of the resilient supporting member it, preferably made of solid live rubber. This member has an inner circular opening 5'! of a size to fit snugly around the flange 9 which form the inlet to the motor unit. Surrounding the central opening H is an annular section ii! of such a thickness that when it is compressed between the face of the motor unit and the partition, it outer edge or face l9 will fit tightly within the opening ['3 of th partition and hold the flange 9 of the unit in central spaced relation with respect to the opening in the partition. The rubber between the flange on the unit and the edge of the opening will support this end of the unit in shear against transverse motion relative to the axis of the cleaner body.

The face of the resilient supporting member II; which is opposite the partition outside of the central opening is provided with a sloping frustoconical surface 20 corresponding to and fitting closely against the sloping surface [4 on the partition. The other face of the supporting member fits flat and snug against an opposing wall on the motor unit housing. This interfitting of the tapered surfaces adds a frictional fit between the parts and further aids in the support of the motor unit within the body. Immediately surrounding the tapered section 20 of the supporting member is another annular section 2| of the same axial thickness as the annular section l8. When compressed between the partition and the motor unit, this section completes the air seal between the partition opening and the inlet opening to the motor-fan unit. Sealing is, of course, effected between other portions by the previously described portions of the sealing and supporting member when the motor unit is compressed toward the partition as will be evident from later parts in the description.

In order to further da-mp vibration which might be transmitted from the motor and fan unit to the outer casing, in order to prevent shifting of the motor in the tank transversely of the body axis, and particularly to prevent weaving of the motor-fan assembly within the cleaner casing, I provide on the member [6 a series of equally spaced radially extending arms or legs 22, shown here as being three in number. These arms or legs, where they join the outer annular portion 2| of the supporting member proper, are of smaller thickness than either the annular portion l8 or the annular portion 21 so that when the supporting member is under compression the leg sections 23 will not be in contact with either the partition or the housing for the motor-fan unit. These arms or webs extend radially outwardly to points just beyond the circumferential outer walls of the motor fan unit, but do not extend entirely to the inner walls of the tank body. In this fashion, transmission of vibration from the motor directly through the supporting member to the walls of the cleaner body is prevented. At their outer ends each of the legs is provided with an enlarged head or tip portion 24 which is of approximately the same axial thickness as the annular portions [8 and 2|. These enlarged end portions are compressed between the partition wall and the outer end and edge of the motor-fan housing when the motor unit is mountedin the cleaner. The enlarged end portions 24 may be regarded as resilient supporting blocks which are held in spaced relation from each other and from the central supporting ring sections by means of the thin sections or legs 23. Being under compression, they efiectively prevent shifting or weaving of the motor fan unit in the casing and damp vibration which might otherwise be transmitted to the casing.

On the discharge or outlet end of the cleaner I provide an outlet end cap 25 with the usual central discharge opening or port 26 formed by the axially extending discharge tube 21 which is positioned inside of the annular flange l forming the air outlet of the motor and fan unit. A tube similar to the tube 21 may be provided for the air inlet opening 5 in the inlet end cap at the other end of the cleaner. However, the oute 0 sc e tube 21 serves an added function in the outlet end cap as will be clear later. The end cap 25 is suitably secured to the body of the cleaner and I have shown for this purpose a hook member 28 secured to the end cap and engaging a slot 29 which is provided on an interior annular flange 30 which in turn is secured to the body or main portion of the casing of the cleaner. The flange 30 properly positions the end cap on the end of the cleaner casing and the hook will hold the top side of the cap in place. Opposite the hook 28, I have shown a screw 3| which passes through the end cap opposite the hook and is threaded into the cleaner casing or the flange. In assembling the cleaner, the interior parts are all put in place and then this end cap is finally secured in place to hold the parts in their assembled and supported position.

In order to support the outlet end of the motor fan unit within the casing, the outlet flange ID on the unit housing is provided at its base with an inwardly projecting rib or shoulder 32. Seated on this shoulder within the unit housing is a bearing disk or washer 33. This washer forms a ledge within the end of the motor housing and on this ledge is seated a second resilient mounting ring of solid live rubber or other suitable material 54. A central opening 35 in this ring closely surrounds the discharge port tube 21 of the end cap. The outside of this resilient ring fits closely within the annular flange ID of the motor fan unit housing and against the ledge formed by washer 33. The axial thickness of this supporting ring is made sufficient to prevent contact between the motor unit housing and the inside of the end cap even when the resilient ring is compressed to its fullest extent between the washer and the end cap. An annular groove 36 may be provided in one face of the supporting ring 34 further to dampen vibration which might be transmitted and to allow a certain amount of give and take to compensate for manufacturing variations in the dimensions of the parts. The outlet end of the motor and fan unit will thus be supported in radial shear within the body of the cleaner as well as in axial compression when the end cap is secured in place,

Because the sides of the motor fan unit are made without openings or holes and because the inlet and outlet ends of the unit are effectively sealed by the live rubber mounting members at each end, a dead air space 31 is provided between the cleaner casing and the outside of the motor and fan housing. Within this dead air space is mounted a suitable control switch 38 for the motor having a handle or button 39 extending outside of the cleaner casing. Power to operate the motor is obtained through a suitable cord set 46 connected by a plug 4| to a suitable power source (not shown). The cord 40 passes through a wall of the body of the cleaner into the dead air space 3'! and is connected through the switch 38 to the motor in the motor section of the motor and fan unit. The connection wires between the switch and the motor are shown at 42.

In operation of a vacuum cleaner according to my invention, the cleaner is connected to a suitable power source through the cord set and the motor is started by operating the switch. The fan is driven by the motor to produce a flow 0f air through the cleaner from end to end. A hose or cleaning tools may be connected to either the inlet or outlet end of the cleaner in the usual fashion depending upon whether suction or blow ing is desired. Dust in the incoming air is collected in the filter or bag and clean air is discharged through the cleaner outlet after passing through the motor-fan unit. The resilient supporting members hold the motor and the fan unit within the casing in a fashion to produce quiet operation and to prevent recirculation of air through the motor fan unit by confining the air flow to the desired channel.

As will be evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of my invention are not limited to the particular details of construction of the example illustrated and I contemplate that various and other modifications and applications of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, my intention that the appended claims shall cover such modifications and applications as do not depart from the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. For use in a vacuum cleaner of the type having a hollow body, with an open end, a partition transverse of the body spaced from said end, a central opening in the partition, a motorfan unit inside the body between the partition and the end, said unit having a central inlet opening in a wall thereof facing said opening in the partition, a sealing and supporting structure for said motor-fan unit comprising an axially extending annular flange surrounding said central inlet opening on said motor-fan unit, said flange being spaced radially inwardly of the edges of said opening in said partition, an annular resilient live rubber member extending radially and axially between said flange and the edge of said partition opening, a plurality of spaced radially extending legs on said annular resilient member positioned between but spaced from said partition and said motor fan unit, and an enlarged portion on the outer end of each leg positioned between said partition and said unit, said enlargements each terminating short of said body.

2. For use in a vacuum cleaner of the type having a hollow body with an opening at the end, a partition transverse of the body spaced from said end, a central opening in the partition, a motor-fan unit inside the body between the partition and the end, said unit having a central inlet opening in a wall thereof facing said opening in the partition, a sealing and supporting structure for said motor-fan unit comprising an axially extending annular flange surrounding said central inlet opening on said motor-fan unit, said flange being spaced radially inwardly of the edges of said opening in said partition, an annular resilient live rubber member extending radially between said flange and said partition opening, a plurality of spaced radially extending legs integral with said annular resilient member positioned between but spaced from said partition and said motor-fan unit, an enlarged portion on the outer end of each leg positioned be tween said partition and said unit, said enlargements each terminating short of said body, and an annular resilient member supporting the opposite end of said motor-fan unit from said end of the cleaner body.

3. In a vacuum cleaner of the type having a hollow body with an open end closed by an end cap having a central opening therein, an inwardly extending tube around said opening, a partition wall extending transversely of said body and spaced from said end cap, said partition having a central opening therein, a motor-fan unit in the space between the partition and the end cap, said unit having a central inlet opening in an end wall thereof facing said opening in the partition, an annular flange surrounding said central inlet and spaced radially inwardly of the edges of the partition opening, and said unit having a central outlet opening in the opposite end thereof spaced radially outwardly of the edges of the tube on the end cap, a sealing and supporting structure for said motor-fan unit comprising a first resilient rubber body with a central annular portion surrounding the flange on said unit and extending radially in supporting relation between said flange and the edge of the opening in the partition, spaced equi-distant radial extensions on said annular portion positioned between but spaced from said partition and said unit, said extensions ending in enlarged resilient supporting blocks positioned between said partition and the unit end wall facing it but out of contact with said hollow body, and a second resilient rubber annular body surrounding the tube on the end cap and extending radially in supporting relation between said tube and the outlet opening on said unit, said resilient bodies being compressed axially between said partition and said unit and between said unit and said end cap to form air seals around the inlet and outlet of the unit.

4. A vacuum cleaner having a hollow cylindrical body with an open end, an end cap removably closing said end, said end cap having a central exhaust opening therein, an inwardly and axially extending tube on said end cap surrounding said opening, a wall in said body extending transversely thereof and spaced from said end, said wall having a central opening therein, a motorfan unit suspended in the space between the wall and the end cap, said unit having a central inlet opening in an end wall thereof facing said opening in the wall, an axially extending annular flange surrounding said central inlet and spaced radially inwardly of the edges of the wall opening, said unit having a central flanged outlet opening in the opposite end thereof spaced radially outwardly of the edges of the tube on the end cap, a resilient body with a central annular portion surrounding the inlet flange on said unit and extending in supporting relation between said flange and the opening in the wall, radial extensions on said annular portion ending at their tips in resilient supporting blocks positioned between said wall and the unit end wall facing it but terminating short of said body, and a resilient annulus surrounding the tube on the end cap and extending in supporting relation between said tube and the inside of the outlet opening on said unit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,020,092 Allen Nov. 5, 1935 2,333,226 Anderson et a1. Nov. 2, 1943 2,454,570 Rector Nov. 23, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 567,351 Great Britain Feb. 9, 1945 

